Enjoy birding at Keystone Dive Park
Published 1:30 am Friday, June 12, 2026
Celebrate Juneteenth and the upcoming summer solstice by joining Whidbey Audubon Society in a “small sit” (an accessibility friendly meetup) to watch and listen to the summer resident birds of the nearshore during the outgoing tide at the Keystone Dive Park and boat launch from 8 to 10 a.m. on Friday, June 19.
Expect to see (and probably hear) pelagic cormorants nesting on the old wharf. Belted kingfisher and great blue heron are usually feeding in the area from the jetty. Pigeon guillemots, rhinoceros auklets and harlequin ducks are likely to be present on the water near shore.
Depending on the timing of their migration this year, there may be newly arrived Heerman’s gulls and California gulls. Other likely birds include American crows foraging on the beach, white-crowned and savannah sparrows singing from the grassy area to the east and bald eagles on the treetops across the ferry slip at Fort Casey.
There is no walking for this field trip, just sit or stand and observe the birds. Bring a chair if you want one. Beginners and those with children are welcome and encouraged to attend. Trip leader Madrone Ruggiero will have one spotting scope to share. Loaner binoculars and bird guides will be available for use during the sit. The viewing/sitting area is flat packed cobble. Wooden picnic tables and a few folding chairs are available at the viewing area, which is less than 50 feet from the main parking area. An accessible restroom with flush toilets is located next to the viewing area (restroom may not be accessible for those using larger motorized wheelchairs due to entrance and stall door configuration).
This site can be accessed by bus via Island Transit’s #6 route. It is a flat approximately 400-foot walk from the bus stop at the ferry terminal to the viewing area on a mix of pavement and packed cobble/gravel. Participants may come and go as they please during the two-hour “sit.” This is a Washington State Park free day and no Discover Pass is needed. There is no charge to attend.
